How long is the workprint version?

Well Pants, seemless branching works in that you can have, if selected, an extra bit of video (with sound) in between two places (seemlessly) or replacing a segment.

I can't remember how extensive the voice over scenes are, but they could just be replaced with the scene done in voice over. Unless there's like, half an hour of voice over, then I don't think there would be a problem.

If seemless brancing could be done in JUST audio, then there's even more space. I'm not sure if this is possible, but I see no real reason why it shouldn't be. If it isn't, then still, as I said above, unless the voice overs last 30 minutes, not a big deal for a movie of this size... provided the extras are on another disc.

My favorite use of seamless brancing I've seen is on a Doctor Who disc... they replace all the exterior effects with new computer ones... even ones that last only a few seconds or whatever. It's done very very well, no stutters or anything.

On T-2 Ultimate Edition wasn't the ability to have all 3 versions of the movie done via seamless branching? I thought it was very well done and demontrates the possibilities of it's use.

I hope we get the SE out eventually. The current version is ok but I would like to have a comentary ane some supplemental stuff to go along with it.

I've never heard of seamlessly branching just the audio. I would expect instead that the disc would come with two complete audio tracks, one with voiceover and one without.

Hmm, I'm unexpectedly excited about this release. The first time I saw Blade Runner I honestly thought it was just average. Second time I saw it I thought it was good, but still nothing great or spectacular. Now I'm reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I must say. . .I like Blade Runner alot more now that a have more of a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.
Bring on the Ridley Scott commentary I say.

I'm pretty sure that it is possible to just branch the audio. Memento Limited Edition's commentary track does some really incredible stuff with that. If you watch the commentary from the start through the menus, it's perfectly normal up until a point most of the way through. Then, without any hint of what is going on, your DVD player will pick one of three endings to the commentary audio. The kicker is that each version blatantly contradicts the others. You have to eject the DVD to re-randomize the branch point and possibly get another version.

Of course, most people don't know about this. So two people can watch the same DVD, listen to the "same" audio commentary, and walk away with completely opposite understandings of the movie! It's a brilliant (and brilliantly subversive) way to show how subjective memory and interpretation can be.

How did it increase the enjoyment??

maybe this is one of those movies that get better with each viewing (havnen't seen it yet)

Well to be honest, I don't see Blade Runner as a movie that really inspires that much thought in the viewer. I don't know why, but I just watch it rather passively. After reading the book, I understood some of the themes it was trying to tackle, so I watched the movie with a much more active eye knowing what it was trying to do. And in general it's the type of movie that requires multiple viewings to get the little details. It's a movie that needs to settle for a few days before you know how you really felt about the movie. This is how the film is for me anyways.

I still don't see the movie as a masterpiece of any sort, as the book does everything much better, but the movie is still pretty good I'd say.

i think so.
i saw it at the theater and hated it.
part of that was due to the way it was marketed and my expectations, but it took a more relaxed viewing many years later, and my willingness to meet the material 1/2 way, before i really appreciated it.

it may not be the best film ever made, nor even the best sci-fi film, but it is a film with depth and style.

You are almost right on this. The workprint was actually a 70MM screening print which was to be disposed of but was stolen from a film recycling company. The score from Planet of the Apes was used as a temp score.

Interesting. I did not know about the "alternate" commentary tracks.

Whenever Blade Runner is rereleased on DVD, I hope it is as impressive as the Black Hawk Down Deluxe Edition.